Excavating-machine.



'1); W. MILLER. EX'GAVAIIING MACHINE.

'HOE PILEE JAI;8, 1907. 1

Patente@ Env, 9 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ANDREW. B. GRAHAM oo. PHoro-umomurrlim, wAsmNmw. n a

D. W. MILLER. VEXCAVA'IINGr MACHINE.

' D. W. MILLER.

EXGAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 8. 1907.

Patented Nov. 9,1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ID.- W. MILLER. BXGAVATING MACHINE.

APPLIATION FILED JAN.8. 1907.A 939,731 Patented Nov.9, 1909.

ves SHEETS-SHEET zllNTlflD STATES PATENT FFCE.

DAVID W. MILLER, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EXCAVATING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, DAVID lV. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavating-\iachi1ies, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to improvements in excavating machines of that type in which the excavator is embodied in the form of a rotary wheel which is supported and carried along by a traveling wagon and progressively excavates a ditch in rear of the wagon.

Among the salient objects of the invention are to provide a` machine of the character referred to, the excavator-wheel of which carries a series of combined Scrapers and diggers which operate to loosen the soil and at the same time scrape it upwardly out of the ditch, thus dispensing with the usual buckets; to provide an excavator-wheel of .such construction that its peripheral portions may be readily removed so as to very considerably reduce the diameter of the wheel for convenience in transportation and the like; to provide a construction in which there is combined with the Scrapers certain diggers or cutters of peculiar construction and conguration; to provide in conjunction with the excavator-wheel an ejector operating to automatically wipe off each scraper blade as it passes the point of discharge; to provide in conjunction with a progressive excavating machine of the general character referred to a shield traveling with the excavator and operating to prevent the sides of the ditch or excavation from caving in temporarily, in order that tiling, masonry or other construction may be properly placed; to provide in conjunction with a wheel-excavator of this general character, a cooperating relatively stationary apron and one or more traveling aprons which together serve to deliver the soil to a distance; to provide improvements in the details of construction and arrangement of the wagon whereby the excavator-wheel may be operated, raised and lowered, and otherwise manipulated, the wagon and excavator propelled slowly and at a rate suitable to effect continued excavation of a ditch, the wagon propelled at a second higher rate of speed when it is desired to transport the excavator from one place to another, and various other movements effected, all from one prime Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 8, 1907.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

serial No. 351,347.

mover and suitable driving connections therewith; to provide simplified and improved details of construction and arrangement in the frame construction both of the wagon and of the excavator-wheel, and its supports; and in general to provide an improved apparatus of the character referred to.

To the above ends the invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view chiefly in side elevation of a machine constituting a preferred embodiment of my invention; one of the transverse conveyer aprons being omitted to disclose other parts more clearly; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail on a larger scale of a portion of the excavator-wheel; Fig. L is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on line t-t of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrows, omitting the excavator wheel; Figs. 5 and 6 are side and rear end elevations, respectively, of the shield; the latter figure showing the shield in operative position within a ditch; Fig. 'T is a fragmentary detail of one of the diggers ofthe excavating wheel shown in the preceding igures; Fig. 7a is a perspective detail of one of the spring teeth or diggers; Fig. 8 is a detail cross sectional view taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 3, viewed in the direction of the arrows; Figs. 9 and l0 are a plan view and a side elevation, respectively, of the preferred driving mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

ln the wheel-excavators of the prior art, so far as l understand the same, buckets of one form or another have always been deemed necessary to scoop up the soil and carry it to the discharging level, and much diiiiculty has been experienced in effecting the proper discharge of the buckets, particularly in clay soils. Moreover the mechanism for supporting and discharging the buckets has been complicated, expensive and more or less subject to breakage and disarrangement.

Excavator-wheels of the general type to which this invention pertains must ordinarily be constructed of relatively large dianieter in order that they may excavate to a sutlicient depth, it being obvious that such a wheel can only excavate to a depth approximately one-halt' its diameter. Owing to the necessary weight of a wheel of such .relatively large diameter, great oliliieulty is experienced in loading the apparatus upon cars and otherwise transporting the machine. These machines are frequently used in soils which are either sandy or largely composed of loose loam,-in tact they iind their most useful ield in soils of these char- 'a whole a suitable wagon or operating truck,

2 designates as a whole the excavator-Wheel, and 3 a shield which may or may not be used in conjunction with the excavator, but when used trails along in the ditch iinmediately in rear ot the wheel.

Describing lirst the excavator-wheel, the' latter desirably comprises an inner ring 4 ot' I-beam form in cross section (see Fig. 3), a suitable series of spokes 5 connecting the inner rim with the hub 6, and a plu 'ality oi" detachable segmental sections 7 mounted upon the exterior ot the ring 4. rlhe frame structure ot' each segment 7 comprises a skeleton segmental shaped trame 8 desir-ably formed ot' structural bars T-shaped in cross section and with the central web or llange extending inwardly from each margin of the l'iame, a series ot' transverse rods 9 upon the outer periphery ot each segment at suitably spaced intervals, corresponding pairs o' brace-rods 10 (see Fig. S) connected with the outer ends of the respective rods 9 and converging inwardly to, and connected with, the web of the inner portion of the frame 8, and flat segmental bars 11 applied to the opposite sides of each segment frame and through which the ends of the rods 9 extend. Each segment trame is detachably bolted to the outer face of the inner ring 4, as seen clearly in Fig. 3, and the abutting ends ot the segments are likewise detachably bolted together so that the segments may be removed from the wheel at will.

12, 12, designate a pair of boom members arranged to support the excavator wheel, each member 12 carrying at its rear end a journal box 13 within which extends the corresponding end of the axle 14 of the wheel. At their opposite ends the boom members are connected with an upstanding strutframe 14 of inverted J-shape (see Fig. 4), and the upper portions of said strut-frame are connected with the respective boom mem- Y bers 12 at points adjacent to the wheel hub by means of tension bars 15. The lower end tation of the wheel.

of the strut-frame is formed by a transverse rock bar 16 which is journaled in suitable bearing supports 17 mounted upon the main side trame members of the wagon 1 near the rear end of the latter. The strut-frame, and with it the excavator-wheel supported thereby, is. oscillated by means of mechanism hereinafter described.

Describing now more particularly the construction ot the several diggers and scrapers forming part of the wheel, and referring to Fig. 3, upon each segment 7 is mounted a plurality of yieldable scrapers 1S, one or more fixed or rigid scrapers 19, and one or more diggers 20; the yieldable scrapers, the fixed scrapers and the diggers being suitably interspaced, as seen clearly in said ligure. Each yieldable scraper comprises a flat blade 21 (see Fig. S) arranged nearly radial with reference to the axis of the wheel but inclined rearwardly somewhat, cut out or notched at its central portion, as indicated at 22, to straddle the outer marginal trame of the segment and pivotally mounted upon the corresponding cross rod 9 by means ott suitable strap-eyes or bearings 23. Each scraper blade is of the full excavating width of the wheel, and its outer margin forms the scraper proper which gathers the soil and pushes it ahead of the scraper during the ro- The inner end of each yieldable scraper blade terminates about mid-width of the segment and is yieldably connected with a part of the segment trame in rear thereof by means of coiled springs 24. Each scraper blade furthermore carries a series of spring-teeth or diggers 25 which are shaped much like the spring harrow teeth in common use and are so arranged that their outer free ends project radially beyond the margins of the corresponding scraper blades a short distance and are located in rear ot the latter somewhat, as seen clearly in Fio'. 3. rlhese s ring-teeth are saaced;

apart at frequent intervals (see Fig. 8), and the teeth of one scraper are otiset or out of circumferential alinement with those of the succeeding scraper. Moreover the laterally outermost teeth of each scraper blade are set some distance inwardly trom the corresponding margins of the scraper blade for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The rigid scrapers 19 are constructed andy mounted in substantially the saine manner as those last described except that instead of having their inner ends connected by springs with the wheel-trame, they are extended inwardly and bolted to the flange ot the angle member S, as indicated at 2G. The diggers 2O are also rigidly connected with the wheeltrame and are set more exactly radial than the scrapers. These diggers are formed of strap-steel bent into suitable shape to form an outer loop or cutter 27 (see Fig. 7 a main body or shank 28 formed integrally with the cutter and a brace-bar 29 connected with the inner end of the cutter loop and extending` thence obliquely inwardly and forwardly to, and connected with, the inner ring of the wheel. The inner ends of the shank or body members 28 are bolted to the flange of the ring member S. As will be clear by reference to Fig. 3 these diggers are set at varying distances from the median line of the wheel, z'. e., they are circn1nferentially offset relatively to each other and collectively cut practically the full width of the wheel. The wheel is provided with sprocket teeth 30 extending entirely around it-s outer periphery and located midwidth of the wheel, as best indicated in Fig. 8, and a .sprocket chain belt 3l trained around the wheel and around a driving sprocket 31 mounted upon the strut-frame (see Figs. l and Ll) serves to rotate the wheel as will now be described.

The drive-sprocket 3l is sleeved to a companion sprocket 32 and the two mounted upon a suitable shaft 33 extending across the strut-frame. The sprocket 32 is driven by a belt 34 from another pair of sprockets and 3G similarly sleeved together and journaled upon the rock-shaft 16. Sprocket 8G is driven by a belt 37 which leads forwardly to, and is connected with, a sprocket 3S mounted upon a transverse shaft 39 suitably journaled upon the wagon. Shaft 39 is driven from a main shaft Li() which is journaled to extend longitudinally of the wagon; the bevel-gear il on said main shaft serving to transmit motion to a second bevelgear 42 on shaft 39. A clutch 43 controlled by a bell-crank-lever 44, hand lever f 5 and connecting rod d6, serves to throw the sprocket 3S into and out of gear with shaft 39. l

For raising and lowering the excavatingwheel, so as to vary the depth of cut or elevate the wheel for transportation, tensionlinks 47 (see Fig. l) are connected with the upper end of the strut-frame la, and with the ends of these links are connected winding cables #t8 which extend to, and are wound upon, a pair of windlass drums 49 mounted upon a cross-shaft 50 journaled in the main frame of the wagon. Shaft 5() carries a worm-gear 51, the upper periphery of which is engaged and actuated by a worm-shaft 52, which is in turn driven by a sprocket 53 mounted thereon. Sprocket 58 is connected with another sprocket 5st on the main shaft by a sprocket-belt, and the sprocket 54 is controlled by a clutch 55 and hand-lever 56 for operating the same.

For propelling the machine along slowly, so as to excavate ditch progressively, and for propelling the machine at a more rapid speed when transporting itfroni place to place, driving connections are provided as follows: Upon the main shaft 40 is mounted a sprocket 57 which is belted to a sprocket 58 upon a worm-shaft 59 carrying a worm 60. The worm actuates a gear G1 upon a transverse shaft 62, which latter is provided at one end with a pinion 63 which meshes with a gear 64C upon another transverse sha-ft 65. Shaft S5 carries at each end pinions, as 66, 67, which engage and drive relatively large spur-gears 68 upon the main traction wheels 69. This is the low speed drive.

For propelling the machine more rapidly, shaft 62 is driven from the shaft 39 through the medium of a sprocket 70 mounted upon said shaft and belted to another sprocket 71 upon the shaft 62. The driving connections between gear 6l and shaft 62 and between sprocket 71 and shaft 62 are controlled by means of a pair of clutches 73 and 7st, respectively; the movable members of these two clutches being linked together' as indicated at 75 and actuated by a bell-crank 7G and hand-lever 77. The arrangement is such that the clutches are thrown into gear alternatively, and when the clutches are in the intermediate position shown in Fig. 2 both are out of gear. A differential gear mechanism 7 8 is interposed in the shaft G5; the center member of this differential being engaged and driven by the spur-gear 63.

ln addition to the mechanism thus far described for operating the excavator and propelling the machine, mechanism is provided for conveying the soil laterally outward from the delivery point of the exeavator-wheel to points at each side of the ditch. To this end a pair of laterally extending wing-like frames 79 (see Fig. 4t) are suitably supported from the strut-frame and main wagon frame in upwardly and outwardly inclined position; these frames each carrying a set of belt-rollers, as 80, 80 and 8l, 8l, around which are trained conveyer belts 88. The lower ends of the beltfraines approach each other as closely as practicable without interfering with the movement of the belts, and the lower rolls 8l are positively driven so as to actuate the belts. To this end driving connections from the main shaft comprise a sprocket 82 mounted upon the latter and controlled by a clutch 83, a counter-shaft S/l journaled in the lower part of the wagon-frame and forming the shaft upon which one of the rollers 8l is mounted, a sprocket S5 upon shaft 84 belted to the. sprocket 82, a parallel shaft S4 constituting the shaft upon which the companion drive roller 81 is mounted, and spur-gears 86, 87, operatively connecting shafts Sat and S4. The main shaft is rotated by a pair of engines 89 mounted upon the wagon frame which receive steam from a boiler 90 also carried by the wagon. The traveling aprons or conveyer belts 88 are located some distance in frontof the forward periphery of the excavator-wheel,

and in order to conduct the soil from the excavator-wheel to the conveyers, a rece-iving apron or chute 91 is suitably suspended from the main wagon-frame by means of hinges or links 92, with its rear end located as close to the periphery of the excavatorwheel as practicable and its forward end overhanging the aprons. Ordinarily this apron will be in upwardly and forwardly inclined position, as shown in Fig. 1; the arrangement being such that the soil discharged from the ditch by the upwardly moving Scrapers of the excavator lis deposited upon the apron 91 and gradually accumulates and is pushed upwardly and forwardly across the latter until it dis-- charges upon the traveling aprons.

In order to insure the discharge of the soil from the Scrapers onto the apron 91 I provide an ejector, designated as a whole 93; this ejector comprising a. blade 94 of a length somewhat greater than the face width of the excavator-wheel, and bail-arms 95, 95, at each end thereof, the ends of which are pivotally connected with the boom members 12 (see Fig. 3) in Such manner that the ejector embraces the outer periphery of the excavator-wheel and Springs pendulously upon its pivotal supports. The position of its pivotal bearings 96 is such that when the ejector springs downwardly its blade swings inwardly in front of the rising Scrapers and diggers, and as the Scrapers encounter the lower edge of the ejector-blade the latter is lifted and thus wipes across the face of each scraper, and discharges the soil therefrom. As the ejector reaches a position approximately upon a level with its pivotal supports its lower edge passes out of engagement with the scraper, then lifting it, and the latter' passes through or between the bail-arms of the ejector. In order that the lower edge of the ejector may not catch upon the points of the spring digger teeth 25, the lower corners of the ejector-blade are provided with heel-like extensions 97 which serve to carry the main blade of the ejector radially outside of the path of the said teeth, and it is to avoid interference with these extensions 97 that the teeth 25 are set inside of the lateral edges of the scraper blades, as hereinbefore referred to and as seen in Fig. 8.

As a further feature of improvement, I provide a shield which is connected with the axle of the excavator-wheel and trails behind the latter within the ditch to prevent caving in of the latter. This shield, in the preferred form shown, comprises a pair of relatively thin sheet metal blades 9S spaced apart and suitably united with each other by means of jack-rods 99; one end of'each rod being formed with telescoping portions which are held yieldably extended upon each other by means of coiled expansion springs 100 (see detail Fig. 6). Jack-Screws 101 serve to adjust the length of these rods so as to space the shield-blades the right distance apart. The jack-rods are so spaced apart as to provide room for an operator to lay tiling or masonry in the ditch between the shield blades. In order to draw the shield along, it is provided at each side with a draft-link 102, which draft-links are pivotally connected with the axle of the excavator-wheel.

The machine may be steered in any suitable manner. In the preferred construction shown the front axle 103 is pivotally connected with the main frame, as indicated at 104, and steering' cables 105 connected with the respective ends of the axle lead rearwardly to, and are connected with, winding drums 106 mounted upon a cross-shaft 107; the cables being oppositely wound upon the drums. Shaft 107 carries a worm-gear which is actuated by means of a worm upon the steering shaft 108; the latter being provided with the usual hand-wheel 109.

The operation of the apparatus constructed as described has been fully and clearly indicated in connection with the description of the mechanism, and need not therefore be repeated. It may be noted, however, that the Soil is loosened and dislodged by the spring digger teeth 25 and cutters 20, and is scraped upwardly out of the ditch by the series of Scrapers. Should the spring teeth encounter roots or stones of small size, they will yield and thus avoid breaking the teeth, while the cutters, by reason of their peculiar shape, will cut off the roots and dislodge the stones if not too large, after which they will be scraped out by the Scrapers. It is to be particularly noted that the construction of the frame-work of the excavator wheel is such as to secure great strength with a minimum weight.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a wheel-excavator, the combination with a wheel frame, of a series of scraper blades mounted upon the periphery of the wheel and arranged approximately radial thereto, and diggers interposed between the Scrapers and projecting radially beyond the acting edges of the latter.

2. In a wheel-excavator, the combination with a wheel frame, of a series of scraper blades mounted upon the periphery of the wheel and arranged approximately radial thereto, and a plurality of spring digger teeth mounted upon or contiguous to each scraper blade and projecting at their acting ends radially beyond the scraper blades.

3. In a wheel excavator, the combination with a wheel frame, of a series of Scraper blades mounted upon the periphery of the wheel and arranged approximately radial thereto, and a pIurality of spring digger teeth mounted upon or contiguous to each scraper blade and projecting at their acting ends radially beyond the scraper blades, each of said spring teeth having the form of fiat strap-like members convexly curved with their convexity toward the rear and their points inclined forwardly and radially outward.

4. In a wheel-excavator, the combination with a wheel frame, of a series of scraper blades mounted upon the periphery of the wheel, arranged approximately radially thereto and extending transversely with reference to the face of the wheel, each Scraper blade being pivotally mounted intermediate its length, and a series of Springs yieldably connecting its inner end with an adjacent part of the wheel frame.

5. In a wheel excavator, the combination with a wheel frame, of a series of yieldable scraper blades mounted upon the periphery of the wheel and arranged approximately radially thereto, a plurality of rigid scraper blades Similarly mounted upon the wheel frame and interposed between the yieldable scraper blades, and diggers arranged at intervals apart around the periphery of the wheel frame and between the Scraper blades.

6. In a wheel-excavator, the combination with a wheel frame, of a series of scraper blades mounted upon the periphery of the wheel and arranged approximately radially thereto, and a plurality of cutters mounted upon the wheel frame and projecting radially beyond the acting edges of the Scrapers, each cutter consisting of an open loop cutting portion, a shank or support, and a brace-bar.

7. In a wheel-excavator, the combination of an inner wheel-frame, a circumferentially disposed Set of segment frames detachably mounted upon said inner wheel frame, and excavating devices mounted upon the several segments.

8. In a wheel excavator, the combination of an inner wheel frame of skeleton construction,having a peripheral ring of angled structural iron, a Series of outer segments mounted upon said inner wheel frame and detachably connected with said angled ring, each segment comprising a skeleton frame member, and a Series of excavating devices mounted upon each segment.

9. In a wheel-excavator, the combination with a wheel frame provided at its periphery with a series of Scrapers and a Support-- ing frame within which said excavator4 wheel is suspended, of an ejector pivotally mounted upon said supporting frame adjacent to the periphery of the excavator-wheel and adapted to successively engage and wipe across the advance surface of the Scrapers as the latter are rotated past its point of support.

10. In a wheel-excavator, the combination with a wheel frame provided at its periphery with a Series of Scrapers having the form of flat blades arranged approximately radimi w ally with reference to the axis of the wheel and asupporting frame upon which said wheel is mounted, of an ejector comprising a transversely disposed blade and bail-arms connected with each end of said blade, and pivots connecting said bail-arms with said supporting frame at each side of the excavator-wheel in position to permit the .periphery of the wheel to pass between the bailarms and the blades of the ejector to engage and wipe across the forward faces of the Scrapers.

l1. In a wheel-excavator, the combination with a wheel frame and a series of scraper blades mounted upon the periphery of the wheel and arranged approximately radially thereto, of a supporting frame comprising boom-arms between which said excavatorwheel is supported to rotate, and an ejector consisting of a transversely disposed ejector blade and bail-arms connected with each end of said blade, and pivots connecting said bail-arms with said boom members at points laterally opposite the respective sides of the excavator-wheel and radially inside of the periphery thereof, whereby the ejector blade is successivelyngaged by the scraper blades and oscillated upwardly until the ejector blade passes over and outside of each scraper blade.

12. In a wheel-excavator, the combination with a wheel frame and a Series of Scrapers mounted upon the periphery thereof, of a stationary apron supported adjacent to the uprising periphery of the wheel in position to receive the soil scrapedupwardly outv of the excavation.

13. In a wheel-excavator, the combination with a wheel frame and a series of Scrapers mounted upon the periphery thereof, of a receiving apron supported adjacent to the uprising periphery of the wheel in position to receive the soil scraped upwardly out of the excavation, and one or more transversely disposed traveling conveyers arranged to extend beneath the delivery end of said re ceiving apron.

14. The combination, with an excavating wheel and means for advancing the Same in the direction of its own plane, of a pair of inclined transversely disposed conveyer belts having their lower ends arranged in advance of the ascending side of the excavating wheel, Slightly above the ground level, and inclining outwardly and upwardly; means for supporting and driving said conveyers; and a stationary apron arranged to conduct the material from the excavating wheel on to the receiving ends of said conveyers.

15. In a wheel-excavator the combination, with the excavating wheel, of a Shield cornprising a pair of upright plates arranged in the rear and at the sides of the excavating wheel, said plates being connected by lio transverse telescopic jack-rods, and draftlinks pivotally connecting said shield with the axle of the excavating wheel.

16. In a wheel-excavator the combination, with the excavating wheel, of a shield comprising a pair of upright plates arranged at the rear and sides of the excavating wheel, said plates being connected by transverse jack-rods provided with length-adjusting screws and expansion springs; and draft rods pivotally connecting said shield with the axle of the excavating wheel.

17; In a wheel excavator the combination, with a suitable wagon, of a strut-frame pivotally mounted at its lower end upon the wagon, an excavating wheel and axle, a pair of booms connecting the lower portion of the strut frame to said axle, tension members connecting the top of the strut-frame to said booms adjacent said axle, and means for tilting the strut-frame to raise or lower the excavating wheel.

18. In a wheel excavator the combination, of a suitable wagon located in advance of said wheel, a strut frame pivotally mounted at its lower end upon said wagon, an excavating wheel and its axle, a pair of booms connecting the lower portion of the strut frame to said axle, tension members connecting the top of the strut frame to said booms adjacent said axle, excavating wheel drive gearing carried by the strut frame, and means, substantially as described, for tilting the strut frame for raising or lowering the excavating wheel.

19. In a wheel-excavator the. combination of a suitable wagon, a motor forwardly positioned thereon, a longitudinally extending power shaft driven directly from the motor, an excavating-wheel operating mechanism, a wagon-propelling mechanism, and a conveyer-driving mechanism, said mechanisms being separate and independent of one another, and independently operable driving connections between said mechanisms and said longitudinal power shaft.

20. In a wheel-excavator the combination of a suitable wagon, a motoi' forwardly positioned thereon, a longitudinally extending power shaft driven directly by the motor, excavator-wheel driving mechanism, a conveyer-driving mechanism, said mechanisms being separate and independent of each other, and independently operable driving connections between said mechanisms and said longitudinal power shaft.

21. In a wheel-excavator the combination of a suitable truck, a motor forwardly positioned thereon, a longitudinally extending power shaft driven directly by the motor, an excavating-wheel operating mechanism, a truck-propelling mechanism, said mechanisms being separate and independent of each other, and independently operable driving esensr connections between said mechanisms and the longitudinal po-wer shaft.

22. In a wheel-excavator the combination of a suitable wagon, an excavating-wheel in rear thereof, a longitudinal power shaft mounted on the wagon, a transverse shaft driven from said power shaft, a drivewheel on said transverse shaft, a belt driven by said drive-wheel for driving the excavator-wheel, and a clutch for starting and stopping the excavating-wheel while said power shaft is in motion.

23. In a wheel-excavator the combination of a suitable wagon, provided with traction wheels, a transverse shaft provided with drive-pinions for said traction wheels,y a second transverse shaft, an equalizing gear mounted on one of said shafts and geared to the other, a longitudinally extending power shaft, a worm gear for drivingsaid second shaft and traction wheels atslow speed, driving connections between said worin gear and the power shaft, gearing driven by the power shaft for driving sa'id second shaft s' and traction wheels at a higher speed, and means for placing either the high or the low speed gear in operative connection with said second shaft.

24. In a wheel-excavator the combination of a suitable wagon, an excavating-wheel in rear thereof, a frame for carrying and guiding the excavating-wheel said frame being pivoted on the wagon and comprising an upwardly extending arch-shaped member, a

transverse shaft mounted on the wagon, a windlass-druin fixed upon said shaft, a longitudinally ext-ending power shaft, driving gears connecting said power shaft with the windlass-shaft, and a cable connecting the windlass-druin with the upwardly extending member of the excavating-wheel frame, the winding or unwinding of said cable raising or lowering the excavatingwheel through the medium of said frame.

25. In a wheel-excavator the combination of a suitable wagon, a longitudinally extending power shaft mounted thereon, a longitudinally disposed conveyer-drive-shaft positioned below said power shaft and extending rearwardly toward the excavatingwheel, a transversely disposed endless conveyer driven from the last-named shaft, gearing between said shaft and the power shaft, and a clutch for starting and stopping said conveyor while the power shaft is in 'i excavating-wheel, and means, operated from mechanism for driving said excavatingwheel, said mechanism including sprockets journaled on said shaft, other sprockets carried by said frame, a drive-belt trained 15 vating-wheel, and means for driving said sprockets on said first-named shaft.

DAVID VY. MILLER. litnesses ALBERT H. GRAVES,

1 around one of said sprockets and the excal l i 5 l EMILIE Rosin. 

